


Express Yourself

by americanhoney913



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Art, Collaboration, F/F, She-Ra Fluff Bang, the one time "show don't tell" doesn't work, they're both idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:08:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25557100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/americanhoney913/pseuds/americanhoney913
Summary: "Do you even like me?" Adora blurts out."What?" Catra’s voice cracks and her ears go flat, her tail puffing up as her shoulders hunch.Inhaling in aggravation, Adora repeats the question. "You like me, right?"Catra opened her mouth, shut it, and reiterates the action again. "Are you kidding me?"***Catra's better at showing how she feels, but sometimes a girl just need to hear it.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 202





	Express Yourself

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this bang was super fun. I loved doing an art/fic collab with ... on this fic. And the fluff bang community on Discord was also amazing and encouraging. It was fun working with you all!
> 
> [The artist behind the amazing fan art for this fic. Link in end notes.](https://animatodraws.tumblr.com/)

Adora shifts on the metal bench. She’s just a little sweaty from the humid air, even though she quickly showered after practice ended before coming back onto the field. She makes another note in her English book as she waits for her girlfriend to finish cheerleader practice. She might be in the process of ignoring Catra for one petty reason, but she’s still the other girl’s ride… and she still likes Catra. She’s not gonna leave her high and dry.

The blonde looks up as a shadow crosses in front of her, blocking out the sun.

"Hey,” Catra says as she flicks her tail at Adora. "You okay? What’s wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine." Adora knows that Catra’s just worried— she _has_ been a little distant this past week— but she wants her girlfriend to concentrate on her school work and cheer squad. Catra has a huge bio test coming up next week and she needed to pass it to get into the AP-level class.

Catra rolls her eyes at the blonde sitting in front of her, tail flicking out to brush against her arm. "How many times are you going to use that excuse? I honestly thought you were more creative than that."

Adora returns the gesture. "I just don’t want to talk about it right now, if that’s okay?" She wants to protect Catra from her own stupid feelings.

"Because you've been like this for a week," she points out and frowns, ears folding down, as Adora turns her head away. The cat-girl hooks her index finger under the blonde’s chin and turns it towards herself, her smirk softening into a small smile. Adora flinches slightly.

One way Catra always gets what she wants out of Adora is to smile that saccharine smile of hers. That's how she got the athlete to go on a date with her four months ago too. Catra and that stupid smile of hers. Every time they were together, she had to remind herself that even though they were Catra-and-Adora now, and not just Catra and Adora, she’s still Catra Atrox.

She’s cocky, arrogant, kind of an asshole, and a ferocious competitor. The stereotypical bitchy cheerleader sometimes too. Everyone agrees. It's an acknowledged fact. But Adora knows that beyond her bad girl exterior, she’s just like any other person who likes a girl.

And that’s the heart of the matter. 

Catra’s a lot of things, but a communicator she is not.

She never does anything with words. If she’s pissed about something, she'd take it out on her best friend and ex-girlfriend, Scorpia, who would most definitely feel her wrath for the next couple of days- although Scorpia never got mad at her, just let her blow off steam. If she’s frustrated, she'll blow up almost instantaneously on whoever happened to be nearby, and that included a tree and a lonely squirrel. If she’s amused, she'd smirk and not say a thing unless it comes to mind, her tail swishing lazily. If she’s annoyed, she'll glare and somehow, some way, you know that you have to stop whatever you’re doing just in case. If she’s happy… well, everyone would be alive at the end of the day and the school’s still standing. Simple as that.

Normally it doesn’t bug Adora. But come on, is saying what she feels so hard to do?

"I’ll be okay. You should go back to practice. We’ve got a big game coming up and I need my biggest fan cheering me on." She gives Catra a soft smile, giving her tail a gentle tug before she brushes it off her wrist. Her eyes sparkle as she watches Catra shift from foot to foot, her toe-claws digging into the grass. Adora loves how Catra will take her shoes off as soon as the last bell rings.

It’s stupid of her anyway. After four months, why would something so insignificant bug her so much? Catra gives her a look, her deep eyes a kaleidoscope of blues in one eye and amber-gold in the other, demanding everything that she's tried to hide. But she continues to smile and wave her off. "I'm just being an idiot. Don't worry about me."

"How can I not? Practice is over."

Adora looks up to find Catra’s cheer squad nowhere to be seen. They’re the only two people still on the field. Cheerleading usually starts a half-hour after football practice to stagger the use of the field, so it ends later too. Adora always waits for Catra, even if she’s been in a stupid mood for a stupid reason. She most likely drifted off into her own world and practice ended without her noticing.

"Oh, sorry. I guess I should pay more attention then," Adora says, standing up and pulling Catra from her squatting position in front of her.

"’Dora." Catra halts, ears flicking before they fall, pulls Adora back when she tries to walk away with one hand on her forearm, claws gently pressing on her skin. "Tell me what's wrong."

"What makes you think something is wrong?"

"Don't go there, Greyskull," Catra hisses half-heartedly, using her last name to slightly piss her off— Adora will always spill something she’s hiding when she’s pissed— her hand slipping from her forearm into her hand. "I already scared off five freshmen trying to get your attention during lunch." While Scorpia’s probably the biggest of their friend group, Catra can be the scariest because of her temper and her claws and her hissing.

"It wasn't five," Adora grumbles in disagreement.

"No, you’re right, it was probably eight. But the other three were sophomores so they don't count." Catra waves her hand in dismissal, tail flicking from side to side. Her eyes turn into a soft sea of blues and golds, bright flecks shining within their depths. Catra asks again, "What is it?"

Adora should have said no, nothing’s wrong. That's what she should've done. But Double Trouble, ever the drama monarch, words echoes in her head:

_"She just wants you because you're giving her a leg-up on the social ladder. You mean nothing to her. You're just like the other people she uses to remind everyone exactly who she is. She doesn't even like you!"_

Double Trouble of all people shouldn't have been the one to make her doubt her relationship with Catra— they like to stir up drama and chaos wherever they can— but what they said made sense. Catra has everything.

She was born with money, had a whole squadron of adoring admirers, a hot car, so high on the honor roll she'll probably get salutatorian next year, and she’s the most wanted girl at Brightmoon High.

And what was Adora? The loudmouth who averaged a C in academics, a semi-talented football player with no future outside of their town. She might be the hottest ticket on the team, but that doesn't give her as much popularity as the movies make it seem.

In comparison, Adora Greyskull has nothing on Catra Atrox. What exactly did the cat-girl see in her? If she hadn’t come to Brightmoon High and reach the success that she did in sports, would Catra&Adora still stand, or would they be just Catra and Adora?

"Do you even like me?" she blurts out.

"What?" Catra’s voice cracks and her ears go flat, her tail puffing up as her shoulders hunch.

Inhaling in aggravation, Adora repeats the question. "You like me, right?"

Catra opened her mouth, shut it, and reiterates the action again. "Are you kidding me?"

Normally such a reply would make her stop and realize how silly she was being, but it can't, and doesn't happen this time. She has to know.

"Do you or don't you?"

"Adora," Catra whines, "we've been together for four months. How can I not?"

"That doesn't answer the question."

"Don't tell me that's why you've been acting this way for the past week," she says in disbelief, pulling at her own tail to flatten her puffed fur.

"So, what if it is?" Adora challenges her, puts her hand on her hips as she stands up. "Answer the question, Catra."

"You do know that I show them by way of action and not by way of words, right?"

"I know, but all you have to do is say it and I'll leave you alone."

"’Dora..."

"Catra, saying you like me shouldn't be that hard. Like you said, we've been together for four months."

"Come on..." Catra whines, her voice cracking. Her tail lashes from side to side, faster than usual, to show her aggravation.

"Just say it. Three little words. It isn't hard."

Catra makes a face. "I already asked you out. Why do I even have to?"

Adora sighs, slips her hands out of hers. The blonde tugs on the collar of Catra’s leather jacket and smiles at her.

"Because it means something to me," Adora says, voice full of passion, and Catra grumbles, her ears folding back.

"Alright, fine," Catra concedes, throwing her hands up in the air.

She takes a breath, opens her mouth and forms her words: "I. L..."

Adora raises a brow. "You l...?"

Catra rubs the back of her neck, her furry scruff, with her claws while she holds her gym bag, full of her uniform and pompomps, with her other. "I l..."

"Catra."

"I'm trying..." Catra hisses as her eyes narrow to slits.

"You're being so melodramatic. 'Like' isn't a hard word to say. It's not like I'm trying to make you say super-fragile-e-stick-ex-pea-al-a-docious."

"You forget that I never admit to liking anything," the cat-girl reminds her.

"Oh, come on. I'm sure you admitted it about something at some point."

"Yeah, I don't think so."

"Well, you like biology."

"I never admitted to that."

"Well, all anyone has to do is watch you and—”

"Exactly," Catra interjects. "I’ve never said it, but people see it. I'm an action type of person."

Adora’s eyes go wide. "But I'm sure you've said you liked something before!"

"No."

"Catra," Adora pulls at her ponytail in frustration, "please just say you like me and then we can go."

"Why don't we just go and I'll tell you later?"

"Don't even try and stall," she orders, glaring at the cat-girl. "Just please tell me."

"You know I do, so what's the point of telling you something you already know?" Catra asks, fur bristling, tail fluffing, ears pinned.

"I've just never heard you say it before." Adora’s voice becomes softer as she shoves her stuff back into her backpack. She shoulders her bag and just stares as Catra tilts her head like the feline she is.

"Didn't I?"

Adora shakes her head.

"Wait… how'd I get you to go out with me then?"

Adora shrugs. "You just did. It was obviously a bit sketchy at first but we had fun and the more time we spent together... I don't know... I guess we just worked. But you never told me that you like me."

"I asked you out, didn't I?"

"But you asked Scorpia out too," Adora retorts.

Catra rolls her eyes. "Hardly; if you call: 'Scorpia, you're with me now, get it?' asking her out."

Adora snorts. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, well..." Catra shoves her hand into the pockets of her dark wash jeans while the other hand fiddles with the kitten keychain hanging from her bag. Adora knows Catra was going through a rough year while she was dating the peppy scorpion hybrid and knows she regrets treating her the way she did. She's made up for it plenty and now she and Scorpia are best friends.

"But still."

Catra’s whole body deflates as she groans, her toe-claws kneading into the grass. "Why do you suddenly care so much? This never bugged you before."

Adora shrugs. "I don't know. I just… I just need to hear it..."

Catra still remains hesitant, tail lashing, and she rolls her eyes again, frustration seeping out of her like waves, her fur bristling just a little bit.

"Catra, it isn't hard. Look, I'll show you." She grabs Catra’s gym bag and holds it in front of her face. "Bag, I like you." Turning to Catra, she smiles as she hands it back. "See, not hard."

The cat-girl frowns, ears flattening. “Did you just admit to liking my bag...? My bag which you said you hated a few days ago?"

"Yes, yes, I did," Adora responds. "Come on, it wasn't hard. Just say it."

"To the bag or to you?"

"Catra," she groans only to be interrupted.

"Alright, alright." The cat-girl clears her throat. "I. L..." A pause. She rolls her eyes and looks around. They’d finally made their way through the field and back towards the high school. Catra sits down on one of the outdoor tables, pouting.

"Really?"

Catra could only manage a shrug in reply and Adora groans in frustration. "Fine, be that way." The blonde uses Catra’s shoulder and pushes up, standing up on top of the table, yelling loudly, "I like you, sky; I like you, tree; I like you, Perfuma’s oddly shaped flower bush; I like you, Brightmoon Alicorns; I like you, grass; I like everything— BUT— Catra Atrox!"

"She's on her period," Catra grumbles in response to herself, ears flattening to her skull, as if to explain away Adora’s behavior. While Catra only has to deal with her heats about three times a year thanks to cat biology, she’s had to deal with Adora’s period mood swings since they started going out; she's not a fan of them and very thankful for her own biology. She heaves herself up and grabs both hers and Adora’s bags as she follows her girlfriend through the outdoor lunch area.

Her girlfriend continues in this fashion as they walk past the entrance to the indoor cafeteria, where a few of their friends sit around one of the far wooden benches, papers spread out between them. Adora can see Glimmer and Bow with their heads bowed together, probably going over things for their debate club. Scorpia’s white hair is just visible over the top of the table. As they get closer, Adora realizes why. Perfuma’s sitting on the floor, talking to some of the plants that line the edge of the outdoor cafeteria, coaxing them to bloom, while Scorpia holds out a bag of mulch between her claws. Mermista’s sunning herself on the concrete with Sea Hawk, even though they're nowhere near a beach and the sun isn't even that strong.

The two of them head over to their friends and Catra’s forced to watch in borderline amusement that slowly turns into territorial anger as Adora claims her like and then love of every single one of their friends.

Their friends seem amused and undoubtedly pleased— Gimmer even has a knowing glint in her eyes— with Adora’s confession. Some of their friends even reply with their own taunts. 

Sea Hawk yells, "Nice ass!" and then yelps when Mermista wacks his bare chest.

"Like me enough to give me a kiss right here?" She taps her lips with a smile, knowing Sea Hawk would never actually do that, but it’s still a little bit of a taunt for Catra to finally say she likes Adora.

Catra’s seething with anger by the time they exit the outdoor cafeteria area, eyes narrowed to slits, claws extended as far as they can go, tail lashing… but it seems that Adora’s completely deaf to their friends' other proclamations. Those guys are lucky they’re friends, otherwise she'd throw them all in the garbage disposal before Adora can say: 'Cruel and unusual punishment.' What would definitely set her off would be if her girlfriend proclaimed her love for her football team or, worse, Catra’s cheer squad, which was filled with those who'd simply love to take advantage of her.

Her turning point however is not their team/squad, but when Adora proclaims her undying love for a random bug that crawls onto the tarmac in the school parking lot. According to what Catra remembers from her entomology chapter of bio class, it's some sort of beetle, but she's glaring at Adora too much to figure out which one it is.

"I LOVE YOU DEEPLY, OH, RANDOM BUG ON THE GROUND! FOR ETERNITY HAVE I SEARCHED AND NOW I'VE FOUND THEE, CRAWLING ACROSS THIS ENDLESS, MISERABLE, LONELY ROAD CALLED LIFE!"

"Okay, Adora, you made your point—"

"BEHOLD! MINE OWN LOVE SO PLENTIFUL AND GENEROUS. MY LOVE IS AS BOUNDLESS AS THE SEA, AND JUST AS DEEP. MY LOVE FOR YOU WITHSTANDS TIME, LIKE AN ANCIENT OAK STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF A DESOLATE WASTELAND!"

"Alright, I—"

"I LOVE THEE WITHOUT COMPARISON! NO ONE COMES CLOSE TO YOUR PLACE IN MY HEART. THE ENTIRETY OF MY MOST BELOVED ORGAN IS AT YOUR DISPOSAL. I AM BUT YOUR ETERNAL SERVANT!"

“Okay, come on, that’s-”

“AS SHAKESPEARE ONCE WROTE, ‘HEAR MY SOUL SPEAK: THE VERY INSTANT I SAW YOU, OH, BEAUTIFUL BUG ON THE GROUND, DID MY HEART FLY TO YOUR SERVICE.’”

"Adora, I—"

"I LOVE YOU, BUG!"

"I love you, too."

The blonde whirls in Catra’s direction so quickly, Catra’s sure that half of her insides are still facing the opposite direction. "What?" Her eyes go round and wide and surprised.

Catra grumbles, ears drooping and tail curled around her own waist to cover up the flush that’s probably turning the skin under her fur bright red. "Geez. You carry on and on about it and when I finally say—"

"Did you just... did you just say that you _loved_ me?"

"No,” she scoffs, “that would be past tense."

Adora stalks towards her again (because during her loud monologue she'd danced and twirled like a hyperactive Frosta on eight cans of Pepsi) and crosses her arms, bright blue eyes running over Catra as if taking her measure and worth with a simple movement of her eyes.

"Oh, god, now you're angry at me? Why do I even bother with you?" Catra demands to no one in particular as she throws her hands in the air. She's just about ready to jump into a dramatic monologue of her own if not for the sudden pressure of lips on her. However, Adora pulls away sooner than she expects.

They stare at each other, blue-amber meeting crystalline sapphire.

"Not that I didn't enjoy that or anything, but what was that for?"

Adora grins at her. "You said you loved me."

Catra rolls her eyes, tail wrapping around Adora’s wrist. "I told you, that's past tense."

Adora chuckles and nuzzles her nose against Catra’s cheek fur. "You're such a dork."

"Well, I did what you wanted."

"Uh, Catra, I would've been happy if you stuck with just saying you _like_ me."

"I know."

"And...?"

"'Like' doesn't cover it," Catra states with a small smile which quickly fades. Her tail wraps around Adora's wrist even while her ears fold down against her head. "But say you love another thing that isn't me and I swear I'll go into a longer monologue than you did with that bug."

* * *

**_BONUS_ **

They walk to Adora’s beat-up old truck since Catra’s refuses to get her license. If she gets it, she knows Adora will drive her less and before school makeout sessions are the best part of her day. 

"Wait here," Catra says as she throws her gym bag into the bed of the truck. Adora does the same and leans against the side, looking like a teenage movie’s hunky star.

She raises a brow. "Uh, what's wrong?" Adora asks as she kicks off of the truck to gently pull at Catra’s tail.

"Nothing, but I'll be right back." Her tail slides off the blonde’s wrist as she turns away, flicking it against her face. Adora huffs and her nose wiggles.

Before she can say another word, Catra’s already turned around and walking back to the spot where she confessed to not liking but _loving_ Adora Greyskull just a few minutes ago.

Sure, Catra might not be a very good communicator, but she makes up for it quite well with actions. At least she thinks so anyway. But there’s something still bugging her…

A bug, to be precise.

Catra prowls back to the spot where herself and Adora last stood and looks down, slightly hunched over, tail lashing from side to side, ears perked. She looks like a big cat about to pounce on her prey.

The lucky bug that has her girlfriend's undying love proclaimed loudly in a semi-deserted parking lot remained where it was previously. It lay idle on the black tarmac, its weird feelers twitching… the only indication that it was still alive. The cat-girl feels a maniacal smile curl on her face.

Not for long.

_SPLAT!_

Adora watches in mild confusion as Catra returns to the car, her chest fur puffed out in pride over the top of her sheer lace shirt, and she slides into the passenger’s seat. At the self-satisfied smile on her face, the blonde’s eyebrow rises. "What was that all about?"

"Just took care of the competition is all." Catra smiles at her, fangs peeking out. Her tail curls around Adora’s wrist as she leans over and presses their lips together, letting a purr rumble in her chest when the blonde scratches at the scruff at the back of her neck. “It’s not because I like you.”

“No,” Adora says with the biggest smile on her face, “it’s because you love me.” Catra’s ears flatten against her skull, but her purr gets just a little bit louder. Adora tips Catra’s chin up to kiss her, humming softly against her mouth, heart melting at the way Catra wraps one clawed hand around her wrist. When she pulls away, she watches as Catra’s heterochromatic eyes flutter open, those gold and sea-glass blue flecks shimmering in the dappled sunlight. “And I love you too. More than I could love any bug.”

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you guys thought. This was fun to write and to collab with.
> 
> [AMAZING fan art to accompany this fic!](https://animatodraws.tumblr.com/post/624902432278904832/some-sketches-and-a-cover-for-americanhoney913-s)


End file.
